10 Surprising Reasons Why Your Skin Isn’t Clearing Up

It’s absolutely normal to have an occasional bout of breakouts. But if you can’t remember a single time when your face hasn’t been pimple-free, then you’ve got a problem. Are you wondering why all those anti-acne solutions and treatments you’ve been googling just don’t work and your skin isn’t clearing up? It’s quite possible you’re unknowingly sabotaging your skin with your less-than-stellar habits. That’s why I’ve rounded up a list of all the reasons that are coming between you and the smooth, glowing skin of your dreams. Tell me which ones you’re guilty of in the comments!

1. Being ignorant about ingredients

It’s extremely important to know why your skin responds to certain products better than others. Don’t be obsessed with ingredients, but it’s smart to be informed. Benzoyl peroxide works very well on moderate acne, while salicylic acid works best if you have acne-prone, oily skin. Consult a dermatologist, educate yourself, and don’t get tempted to use a product that worked brilliantly for your BFF. Everyone’s skin is different. One size does not fit all.

2. Being flaky

While I agree that you mustn’t let your skin get too accustomed to certain products, switching products constantly and not adhering to a regime isn’t good either. Good skin does not happen overnight; you have to religiously follow a skincare routine and be consistent with the products that work well for you.

 

 

3. Getting touchy-feely

You have no idea how you’re wrecking your skin by constantly touching it and transferring icky stuff like dirt, bacteria, oil, etc. from all the things you touch throughout the day. Just imagine the kind of grime that lives on door knobs, public transport, workstations, et al. Your cellphone too is ripe with bacteria, so use a handsfree headset if you spend a lot of time talking on your phone, and keep those hands off your face.

4. You use products past their expiry

So you’re militant about your skincare regime and yet your acne shows no sign of easing? Maybe you should give your make-up products a once over to check their expiry dates. Here’s a detailed guide on why you need to chuck old make-up and the shelf life of all your products.

5. Filthy pillowcases

When was the last time you changed your pillow cover? Believe it or not, we shed a lot of skin. This, combined with the oils on your face, make your pillowcase a minefield for bacteria. Make sure you change your covers diligently every week.

 

6. Sugar addictions

While an occasional piece of dark chocolate is good for your general well-being, eating sugary savouries and processed or white flour wreaks havoc on your skin. Cut these out of your diet and your skin will fare much better.

7. Not washing up

Over-cleaning your face isn’t good, but washing your face after you’ve been out all day or after a workout session is really, really important. You don’t want sweat, dirt, oils, etc to clog your pores and giving you acne, do you?

8. Over scrubbing

While I don’t recommend scrubbing your skin raw, it’s important to buff dull, dead skin. Use mild exfoliants or products that have alpha hydroxy acids like glycolic and lactic acid. Avoid products with microbeads at all costs!

 

9. Stress

I have personally seen highly-stressed individuals break out horribly. You simply must find a way to de-stress. Either deal with the situation at hand or indulge in some de-stressing activities.

10. You don’t shower after rinsing off hair conditioner

After your shampoo your hair, you slather on a deep conditioning mask and continue to shower while your hair soaks in the conditioner. Then you rinse off the conditioner and step out of the bath. If that’s how your bath time looks, your conditioner could very well be the main culprit causing acne. The silicones and heavy moisturising agents in your conditioner often get into your pores and clog them, giving you acne on your face, chest, back and along the hairline. Always tilt your head to the side or backwards while washing off conditioner. This will keep the product off your body. Also, put off washing your face till the very end of your shower.

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